Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption

Stephen King — 2020

#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King’s beloved novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption—the basis for the Best Picture Academy Award–nominee The Shawshank Redemption—about an unjustly imprisoned convict who seeks a strangely satisfying revenge, is now available for the first time as a standalone book. A mesmerizing tale of unjust imprisonment and offbeat escape, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is one of Stephen King’s most beloved and iconic stories, and it helped make Castle Rock a place readers would return to over and over again. Suspenseful, mysterious, and heart-wrenching, this iconic King novella, populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, is about a fiercely compelling convict named Andy Dufresne who is seeking his ultimate revenge. Originally published in 1982 in the collection Different Seasons (alongside “The Body,” “Art Pupil,” and “The Breathing Method”), it was made into the film The Shawshank Redemption in 1994. Starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, this modern classic was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is among the most beloved films of all time.

Reviews

Jonnie@softmossdog

Dec 14, 2024

Excellent but not better than the movie (rare). Also, abolish the prison industrial complex.

Melody Izard@mizard

Jan 10, 2022

I keep thinking I will outgrow Stephen King. But he can weave a tale and if you say he can't .... well, I don't get it. What a picture of inside prison life and the unfairness of it all.

Becca Miller @beccamiller

Nov 17, 2021

I really found the first half of it to be super slow but once the story started to pick up at around page 70 it got really good. I bet I would like the beginning more the second time I read it.

Leonie@morallyblack

Oct 13, 2021

All-time favourite.

Kireth Sandhu@lifeofkarrot

Sep 1, 2021

WHY: Have loved the movie for a long time, and did not even know it was adapted off a novella or that the story was penned by Steven King. As I'm trying to read more older books and more King, thought I would give this a go. DIFFERENCES: Surprisingly, the movie was extremely faithful to the short story - with most of the memorable and impactful lines literally coming off the page. Written through the first-person perspective of prisoner Red, I will admit that I struggled to read his voice as an Irish and instead imagined Morgan Freeman and his dulcet tones were reading to me, which worked really well for immersion into the story. We get all the details of Andy Dufresne's life here, from the trial to the sisters to the financial dealings of the prison guard and warden. Whilst here the wardens rotate, (view spoiler)[and the twist is hinted at and explained a lot more, (hide spoiler)] I still found this to be a really enjoyable tale about the persistence of hope in the darkest conditions - a theme that stood out a little more here than when viewing. WHO: Honestly, despite thorougly enjoying this read it is very hard to recommend it over the 1994 oscar-nominated film - if you haven't seen it, go watch it in one sitting. This is really for the die-hard fans of King, or any super fans of the movie, which is one of those rare adaptations that gets all the major beats and themes right, and then adds some.